Persimmon tree named ‘JN5’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Persimmon tree named ‘JN5’, characterized by its upright columnar and weeping plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; relatively large leaves; light orange-colored mature fruits; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Diospyros virginiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JN5’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Persimmon plant,botanically known as Diospyros virginiana and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘JN5’.

The new Persimmon plant originated from an open-pollination inBelvidere, Tenn. of an unidentified selection of Diospyros virginiana,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selectionof Diospyros virginiana as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPersimmon plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a singleplant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controllednursery environment in Belvidere, Tenn. during the spring of 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Persimmon plant by bud grafting onto aseedling Persimmon rootstock in a controlled environment in Belvidere,Tenn. since the summer of 2008 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Persimmon plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Persimmon have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘JN5’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘JN5’ as a new and distinct Persimmon plant:

-   -   1. Upright columnar and weeping plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Relatively large leaves.    -   4. Fruits that become light orange in color with development.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Persimmon can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Persimmon differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Persimmon and the female parent selection        differ in plant habit as plants of the female parent selection        are outwardly spreading with pendulous lateral branches.    -   2. Plants of the new Persimmon are more vigorous and faster        growing than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Persimmon are larger than leaves        of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Persimmon can also be compared to plants of Diospyroskhaki ‘Nuevo Rojo Brillante’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,729,and Diospyros khaki ‘Doc's Delight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,822. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Persimmondiffered primarily from plants of ‘Nuevo Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Doc'sDelight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Persimmon and ‘Nuevo Rojo Brillante’ and        ‘Doc's Delight’ differed in plant habit as plants of ‘Nuevo Rojo        Brillante’ and ‘Doc's Delight’ were upright and not weeping.    -   2. Fruits of plants of the new Persimmon were smaller than        fruits of plants of ‘Nuevo Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Doc's Delight’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Persimmon plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Persimmon plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical tree of ‘JN5’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical treeof ‘JN5’ with immature fruits.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe trees grown during the summer in 15-galloncontainers in an outdoor nursery in Park Hill, Okla. and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Persimmon production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 9° C. Plants were four years old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diospyros virginiana ‘JN5’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Diospyros            virginiana, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Diospyros            virginiana, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Bud-grafted onto a seedling Persimmon rootstock.        -   Root description.—Thick, coarse and fleshy; dark brown,            close to 200B in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous tree; upright columnar and            weeping plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth            rate; freely branching habit.        -   Plant height.—About 6.1 meters.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 2.4 meters.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—Variable depending on position on the tree.        -   Diameter.—Variable depending on position on the tree.        -   Internode length.—About 10 cm to 12 cm.        -   Aspect.—Pendulous.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Pubescent when developing and becoming smooth and            glabrous with maturity.        -   Color.—Close to 200D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single; relatively large.        -   Length.—About 13.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 6.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A and 137A;            venation, close to 160B; fall color, close to 71A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 160B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.24 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 147B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Dioecious;            pistillate flowers solitary; staminate flowers in clusters            with about three flowers per cluster; freely flowering            habit; flowers roughly urn to bell-shaped; flowers mostly            drooping.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Persimmon flower            in May to June in Oklahoma.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two to three weeks on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.        -   Flower diameter, pistillate and staminate flowers.—About 7            mm.        -   Flower length, pistillate flowers.—About 1.54 cm.        -   Flower length, staminate flowers.—About 8.5 mm.        -   Flower depth, pistillate and staminate flowers.—About 1.1 cm            to 1.5 cm.        -   Flower buds, pistillate and staminate flowers.—Length: About            6.35 mm. Diameter: About 3.8 mm. Shape: Conical; winged.            Color: Close to 82A to 82B; towards the base, close to N77A.        -   Petals, pistillate and staminate flowers.—Arrangement:            Typically four petals in a single whorl; petals imbricate.            Length: About 7 mm to 11 mm. Width: About 6 mm to 8 mm.            Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Mucronate, reflexed. Base:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 155B. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 155C.        -   Sepals, pistillate and staminate flowers.—Arrangement:            Typically four sepals in a single whorl. Length: About 2 mm.            Width: About 1.8 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Truncate.            Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            191C. Color, lower surface: Close to 191D.        -   Peduncles, pistillate flowers.—Length: About 6 mm to 8 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 191C.        -   Peduncles, staminate flowers.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 191C.        -   Pedicels, staminate flowers only.—Length: About 4 mm.            Diameter: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 191C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 16 per            flower. Filament length: About 2 mm to 4 mm. Filament            texture: Slightly pubescent. Filament color: Close to 196C.            Anther shape: Round to slightly oblong. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 195D. Amount of pollen:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 161A. Gynoecium: Pistil            number: One per flower. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style            length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 71C. Stigma shape:            Elliptical. Stigma color: Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close            to 137B.        -   Seeds and fruits, pistillate flowers only.—Seed length:            About 2 cm. Seed diameter: About 1.3 cm. Seed color: Close            to 202A. Fruit length: About 2.6 cm to 3.9 cm. Fruit            diameter: About 2.54 cm to 3.81 cm. Fruit shape: Globose.            Fruit texture: Smooth. Fruit color, developing: Close to            195C. Fruit color, fully developed: Close to 24B.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Persimmon have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about −29° C. to about 43° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Persimmon have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Persimmon plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Persimmon tree named ‘JN5’ asillustrated and described.